Welcome to the Australian Bush Poets Association

ABPA Logo

WELCOME. Membership of the Australian Bush Poets Association (ABPA) is comprised of writers, performers and individuals who are interested in bush poetry and enjoy written and live stories in rhyme and metre. If you have an interest in this piece of Australian culture called bush poetry, you have come to the right place.

Aims
The objectives of the Australian Bush Poets Association are to foster and encourage the growth of bush poetry in Australia. By definition, Australian bush poetry is metred and rhymed poetry about Australia, Australians and/or the Australian way of life.

Membership
To join the Australian Bush Poets Association and receive our bi-monthly magazine, go to our Membership page.

The ABPA keeps in touch with its members through this website (and forum) and our bi-monthly magazine of bush poetry news, events, results of written and performance competitions as well as samples of contemporary bush poetry. Many members have books, CDs and other products. These can be advertised in the magazine. For rates, click here. The deadline for ads and other content for the magazine is the 22nd of the month preceding publication. Magazines are published at the beginning of February, April, June, August, October and December.

ABPA Facebook page Check out our Facebook page.

New Australian Champion: Michael Darby

National Champions

ABPA President Tim Sheed, new Australian Champion Michael Darby, third-placed Debby Berryman, runner-up Jenny Markwell and ABPA Secretary Meg Gordon.

The National Bush Poetry Championships were held in Orange, NSW during the Banjo Paterson Australian Poetry Festival and Michael Darby is the new champion. Michael is from Western Australia and gave outstanding performances during the competition. See full results here.

Milton Show Bush Poetry

Bush Poetry at the Milton Agricultural Show was again a big success thanks to John Davis and his team. Fourteen adult and sixteen junior poets performed and the results are here.

Milton Show Poetry
Milton Show Poetry Kids

Blackened Billy Award

It was indeed a great honour to be presented the BLACKENED BILLY AWARD for 2023, on stage by Greg North, Ray Essery and Bill Kearns, in front of a large audience, during our very successful Rhymers Variety Show.

Blackened Billy Award
Susan Ashton, Tom McILveen, Bill Kearns, Ray Essery and Greg North at Wauchope Arts Hall.

Thank you to Janine Keating for your tireless commitment and efforts in keeping this very prestigious award happening. Thank you to Greg North who delivered it personally to me from the official Blackened Billy Awards held during The Banjo Paterson Festival in Orange, and thank you to the three judges whom I believe to be amongst Australia’s finest poets...making the award even more honourable to me, and finally thank you to my childhood friend Freddy ‘K’, (wherever you may be today), to whom the winning poem was dedicated.
Tom McILveen.

See previously featured poets.

See previously featured achievers.